S.A. lawyer promoted at the Shanghai Expo

SHANGHAI — San Antonio lawyer Jose Villarreal has been promoted in his position at the Shanghai Expo.

It’s now U.S. Ambassador Commissioner General Villarreal.

Villarreal was appointed last June as U.S. commissioner general to the world’s fair in Shanghai, presiding over the U.S. Pavilion. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Saturday night announced in Shanghai that President Obama has promoted Villarreal to the rank of ambassador.

Clinton made the announcement during a dinner for U.S. Pavilion sponsors, who paid for the $61 million pavilion.

Clinton visited Shanghai on the eve of traveling to the Chinese capital of Beijing for talks on trade and exchange rate issues.

The San Antonio delegation learned of the promotion shortly after the main part of the group arrived at the Shanghai airport Sunday afternoon. Villarreal will be the host of a reception Monday night for the San Antonio delegation, which numbers nearly 70 people.

Arriving during the reception will be a smaller group, led by Mayor Julian Castro. Castro’s group also departed San Antonio early Saturday morning but stopped first for a meeting in Toyota City, Japan, for a meeting with Toyota Motor Co. executives.

On Tuesday, Castro officially will kick off the three “San Antonio Salute” Days at the U.S. Pavilion. Trade and investment presentations and seminars are scheduled for later in the week. San Antonio received the three days after San Antonio-area companies donated $500,000 toward the U.S. Pavilion.

More than 70 million people are expected to attend the Shanghai Expo during its six-month run that began May 1. Several hundred visitors per day are flocking to the fair.